Mathematics

Overview

The Mathematics Learning Area supports and contributes to the numeracy and literacy work of the school by setting expectations and providing feedback and support to students that is consistent with community ideals in numeracy and literacy. Indeed, the Mathematics Learning Area assumes responsibility for creating new possibilities for students to use language to understand, develop and convey ideas and information and interact with others by assisting them to learn to read, write, listen to and talk about mathematics, and to develop the range of special symbols, vocabulary and diagrammatic representations that mathematics contributes to language. Mathematics plays a pivotal role in the promotion of technology generally and continues to change significantly as a result of the impact of computing technologies. The purpose of the outcomes articulated in the Mathematics curriculum is to enable students to be critical, creative and confident users of mathematics. Students are encouraged to be engaged in autonomous learning processes, to think laterally, recognise individual and group opportunity and potential and be prepared to test options. Moreover, students are continually developed to become self-motivated and confident in their approach to learning mathematics and to work individually and collaboratively. To recognise that each person has the right to feel valued and be safe and, in this regard, understand their rights and obligations and behave responsibly are equally critical objectives.

The Mathematics Learning Area comprises very experienced staff across all learning standards and courses. The school is most fortunate to have such a talented pool of subject matter experts.When studying Mathematics, students learn to use the concepts of algebra, number, measurement, chance & data and space to describe and understand their social and physical world. Mathematics teaches students to become observant, interpret results and to draw general conclusions; all skills that are required in everyday life. The Mathematics Learning Area seeks to foster inquiring minds and enhance the students' appreciation of the many benefits of studying Mathematics

The Mathematics Learning Area supports and contributes to the numeracy and literacy work of the school by setting expectations and providing feedback and support to students that is consistent with community ideals in numeracy and literacy. Indeed, the Mathematics Learning Area assumes responsibility for creating new possibilities for students to use language to understand, develop and convey ideas and information and interact with others by assisting them to learn to read, write, listen to and talk about mathematics, and to develop the range of special symbols, vocabulary and diagrammatic representations that mathematics contributes to language. Mathematics plays a pivotal role in the promotion of technology generally and continues to change significantly as a result of the impact of computing technologies. The purpose of the outcomes articulated in the Mathematics curriculum is to enable students to be critical, creative and confident users of mathematics. Students are encouraged to be engaged in autonomous learning processes, to think laterally, recognise individual and group opportunity and potential and be prepared to test options. Moreover, students are continually developed to become self-motivated and confident in their approach to learning mathematics and to work individually and collaboratively. To recognise that each person has the right to feel valued and be safe and, in this regard, understand their rights and obligations and behave responsibly are equally critical objectives. The Mathematics Learning Area comprises very experienced staff across all learning standards and courses. The school is most fortunate to have such a talented pool of subject matter experts. When studying Mathematics, students learn to use the concepts of algebra, number, measurement, chance & data and space to describe and understand their social and physical world. Mathematics teaches students to become observant, interpret results and to draw general conclusions; all skills that are required in everyday life. The Mathematics Learning Area seeks to foster inquiring minds and enhance the students' appreciation of the many benefits of studying Mathematics.

The Mathematics Office is staffed between the hours of 7.30 am to 4.30 pm each working day for students who require additional support with homework or classwork out-of-class time.

Role of Homework in Lower School

Students attending lower school Mathematics classes (Years 7-10) will be provided regular homework designed to summarise the critical outcomes/objectives being targeted in class during instruction. Homework can be used to support a final grade and should be treated seriously by students as a means to validate understanding and application of concepts learned in class.

Generally, homework requirements should not take any longer than 30 minutes per session to complete. However, parents should encourage their child to study Mathematics at least three times per week by revising class notes, re-working standard examples provided by the teacher during instruction and reviewing activity worksheets. Indeed, parents should encourage their children in lower school to learn their multiplication tables (to 12 x) and practice mental number skills.

Regardless of the new skill being learned (mental or physical), only by regular practice will students improve their performance. In general, formal homework is expected to be returned (completed) by the DUE DATE. Consequences apply for non-compliance.

Student Toolbox

Students are expected to attend EVERY lesson prepared for work. They should bring a standard ‘tool box’ of equipment to each lesson, namely:

scientific, graphics or CAS calculator (as per their Booklist)

pens and pencils

ruler

eraser

school diary

file/paper

Parents are requested to check that their children are adequately resourced for classes.

Lower School Programs

All Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 study the new Australian Curriculum which provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge in Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. It develops the numeracy capabilities that all students need in their personal, work and civic life, and provides the fundamentals on which mathematical specialties and professional applications of mathematics are built.

Mathematics is a compulsory subject in Years 7 to 10. Classes are organised in order to group students of similar ability. This is called ‘Streaming’.

Incoming Year 7 students will be placed into tentatively streamed classes based upon results of testing conducted in primary school and NAPLAN test. Nevertheless, the majority of students will study a common course throughout the first semester of Year 7.

The pathways on offer for Lower School students include:

Academic Extension Designed for specially selected gifted and talented performers in Mathematics and Science; Leads to Methods/Specialist/Applications course in Upper school;Pathway 1 Advanced Course, designed for more able performers who have shown an ability to excel, especially in Algebra and Number; Leads to Methods/Specialist/Applications course in Upper school;Pathway 2 General Course, suited for students who have experienced reasonable success in the past with Algebra and Number; Leads to Applications/Essential course in Upper schoolPathway 3 Support Course, designed for students who have struggled with Mathematics in the past and require more practical rather than theoretical Mathematics. This pathway helps students who are at a risk of failing OLNA: Leads to Essential/Foundation course in Upper school;

Pathway 3 leads to a place in the workforce. Pathway 2 leads to further education in TAFE or at University. Pathway 1 leads to University entrance, possibly with Mathematics as a component of the course such as Engineering. Students are able to move between Pathways based on performance and the recommendation of staff.

Upper School Programs

In Years 11 and 12, students can choose an appropriate Mathematics subject relative to their capabilities and interests.

Although Mathematics is not compulsory in Years 11 and 12, there are very few students who do not choose to further their mathematical knowledge. We are very proud of this, as concern is often raised in the broader community that boys and girls are not studying subjects in the Science/Mathematics fields in their later years of schooling.

The following courses are offered in Year 11 and 12 within Mathematics:

Mathematics Specialist is an ATAR course which provides opportunities, beyond those presented in the Mathematics Methods ATAR course, to develop rigorous mathematical arguments and proofs, and to use mathematical models more extensively. The Mathematics Specialist ATAR course contains topics in functions and calculus that build on and deepen the ideas presented in the Mathematics Methods ATAR course, as well as demonstrate their application in many areas. This course also extends understanding and knowledge of statistics and introduces the topics of vectors, complex numbers and matrices. The Mathematics Specialist course is the only ATAR mathematics course that should not be taken as a stand-alone course.

Mathematics Methods is an ATAR course which focuses on the use of calculus and statistical analysis. The study of calculus provides a basis for understanding rates of change in the physical world, and includes the use of functions, their derivatives and integrals, in modelling physical processes. The study of statistics develops students’ ability to describe and analyse phenomena that involve uncertainty and variation.

Mathematics Applications is an ATAR course which focuses on the use of mathematics to solve problems in contexts that involve financial modelling, geometric and trigonometric analysis, graphical and network analysis, and growth and decay in sequences. It also provides opportunities for students to develop systematic strategies based on the statistical investigation process for answering questions that involve analysing univariate and bivariate data, including time series data.

Mathematics Essential is a General course which focuses on using mathematics effectively, efficiently and critically to make informed decisions. It provides students with the mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding to solve problems in real contexts for a range of workplace, personal, further learning and community settings. This course provides the opportunity for students to prepare for post-school options of employment and further training.

Mathematics Foundation is a General course which focuses on building the capacity, confidence and disposition to use mathematics to meet the numeracy standard for the WACE. It provides students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to solve problems across a range of contexts, including personal, community and workplace/employment. This course provides the opportunity for students to prepare for post‐school options of employment and further training.

Each course is organised into four units. Units 1 and 2 are taken in Year 11. Units 3 and 4 are studied in Year 12.The Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) examination for each of the three ATAR courses is based on Unit 3 and Unit 4 only.

Students intending to enrol in University requiring a Calculus based prerequisite suite would normally follow the double mathematics option of: